Development Associate Jobs in Merrillville, IN (NOW HIRING)

NHS Redevelopment Corporation (NHSRC) is the real estate development affiliate of NHS Chicago, a nonprofit organization with more than 50 years of experience advancing homeownership and strengthening Chicago neighborhoods.

NHSRC acquires, stabilizes, rehabilitates, constructs, and sells residential properties; preserves distressedbuildings at risk of demolition; assists homeowners with critical repairs; and serves as a court‑appointed receiver for troubled properties. NHSRC homes are designed and constructed to be energy efficient, durable, healthy, and practical to maintain.

NHSRC is a licensed Illinois real estate broker, an approved developer for multiple public and private programs, and an experienced court‑appointed receiver.

The Development Associate coordinates assigned real estate development, receivership, homeowner repair, and property‑related projects from intake or acquisition through construction, stabilization, closeout, and disposition.

The Development Associate maintains project controls, evaluates property and project information, coordinates internal and external participants, administers financial and compliance documentation, and prepares clear recommendations for management. Within established policies, budgets, contracts, and delegated authority, the Associate exercises judgment to prioritize work, resolve routine project issues, identify material risks, and recommend corrective action.

The position is designed for an organized, analytical, and service‑oriented professional who wants to build broad expertise in nonprofit real estate and community development. All Development Associates cross‑train across NHSRC programs; initial assignments may emphasize one of the following areas:

• Real estate development, construction, acquisition, financial administration, and compliance.
• Receivership, homeowner repair, property research, legal coordination, and project closeout.

• Coordinate assigned development activities from acquisition and project setup through construction, closeout, sale, transfer, or other disposition.
• Establish and maintain project schedules, milestone trackers, budgets, contact lists, decision logs, and required documentation.
• Coordinate acquisition and project-setup requirements, including property access, insurance, utilities, permits, surveys, environmental reviews, title materials, and related due‑diligence items.
• Serve as a central point of coordination among architects, contractors, inspectors, consultants, attorneys, lenders, public agencies, property managers, and internal departments.
• Evaluate construction progress, inspections, open issues, change‑order requests, closeout documents, warranties, and outstanding deliverables; identify schedule, cost, quality, or compliance risks and recommend next steps.
• Attend and, when assigned, lead routine construction meetings, property inspections, and projectwalkthroughs; document decisions, responsibilities, and deadlines.
• Prepare concise project status reports that identify completed work, upcoming milestones, responsible parties, unresolved issues, risks, and decisions required.
• Support marketing, listing, sale, transfer, and disposition activities as assigned.

• Conduct property and public‑record research for prospective and active receivership matters, including ownership, title, liens, taxes, building conditions, violations, litigation history, and related records.
• Analyze preliminary rehabilitation costs, after‑repair value information, available funding, property conditions, and other feasibility factors; prepare findings and recommendations for management review.
• Prepare property summaries, intake materials, timelines, photographs, research memoranda, and supporting exhibits for review by management and legal counsel.
• Maintain complete, organized, and current electronic and physical case files throughout the receivership process.
• Coordinate information and documentation requested by Corporation Counsel, NHSRC legal counsel, City departments, contractors, property owners, and other parties.
• Provide administrative and factual support for draft lien documents, payoff statements, releases, court reports, repair summaries, and related materials under the direction of management or counsel.
• Attend court hearings, property inspections, and case meetings in a support capacity, and accurately document required follow‑up.
• Track court dates, filing deadlines, inspections, owner communications, repair milestones, and case‑closing requirements; elevate legal questions to counsel and refrain from providing legal advice.

• Coordinate assigned activities for grant‑funded homeowner repair, rehabilitation, and neighborhood stabilization programs.
• Support homeowner outreach, application intake, documentation review, property inspections, contractor assignment, construction monitoring, and project closeout.
• Review application and project files for completeness and consistency with established program requirements; identify exceptions or eligibility questions requiring management review.
• Communicate clearly, respectfully, and promptly with homeowners, residents, contractors, communitypartners, and public agencies.
• Track repair scopes, contractor assignments, schedules, inspections, invoices, change requests, resident concerns, and completion documentation.
• Maintain accurate applicant, property, and project records in accordance with funding, privacy, and document‑retention requirements.
• Support community outreach, program presentations, workshops, and neighborhood events.
• Identify delayed projects, missing documentation, contractor performance concerns, resident issues, and other risks; propose practical resolution steps and elevate as appropriate.

• Review and process vendor invoices, contractor payment requests, reimbursements, utility bills, insurance expenses, and other project costs in accordance with established controls.
• Verify that payment requests include required approvals, contracts, scopes, invoices, lien waivers, inspection documentation, funding eligibility support, and other required materials.
• Maintain current project budget and commitment trackers; reconcile expenditures, encumbrances, available balances, and funding sources with the Finance Department at least monthly.
• Analyze budget-to-actual performance, identify discrepancies, duplicate charges, unsupported costs, and potential overruns, and recommend corrective action.
• Support cash‑flow projections, draw or funding requests, project cost reports, grant reimbursementsubmissions, and financial closeout.
• Organize audit‑ready financial records for management review, audits, project closings, and funder monitoring.
• Support preparation and refinement of development budgets, feasibility analyses, pro formas, and sources‑and‑uses statements.

• Maintain complete, accurate, current, and audit‑ready project, property, program, and case files.
• Apply established reporting and compliance requirements associated with CDBG, TIF, NMTC, prevailing wage, philanthropic grants, City and State programs, and other funding sources to assigned work.
• Track required certifications, insurance documents, contractor qualifications, wage documentation, inspections, environmental reviews, approvals, and other compliance materials.
• Prepare accurate periodic reports, reimbursement requests, funder updates, annual certifications, monitoring responses, and project closeout submissions for review and approval.
• Maintain accurate information in SharePoint, Salesforce, spreadsheets, and other organizational systems;follow naming conventions, file‑management procedures, approval workflows, and retention requirements.
• Monitor reporting calendars and compliance deadlines, identify documentation gaps or conflicting requirements, and elevate matters requiring management, financial, or legal review.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the position‘s purpose and level of responsibility.

This position has no direct employee supervisory responsibilities.

The Development Associate provides day‑to‑day functional coordination and monitors work performed by contractors, property managers, inspectors, consultants, vendors, and other service providers. The Associate may confirm assignments, establish routine deadlines, request required documentation or corrections, monitor completion, and elevate performance, quality, cost, safety, or compliance concerns.

The Development Associate does not independently execute contracts; authorize material changes to scope, budget, or schedule; approve final payments; determine legal strategy; or make final eligibility or legal determinations unless the appropriate authority is specifically delegated in writing.

The Development Associate position is designed to build the knowledge, judgment, and experience required to manage increasingly complex real estate and community development projects. As the Associate demonstrates proficiency, assignments may expand to include:

• Managing a defined portfolio of projects or receivership cases.
• Leading routine projects, construction, or vendor coordination meetings.
• Preparing development budgets, feasibility analyses, and recommendations.
• Coordinating smaller projects with limited supervision.
• Training new staff on established systems and procedures.
• Presenting project information to organizational leadership, funders, public agencies, and external partners.
• Progressing toward Senior Development Associate, Project Manager, or Development Manager responsibilities.

• Health, dental and vision insurance
• Paid time off
• NHS offers a comprehensive benefits package. We also offer a team spirit, which strives for excellence in customer service.

• Bachelor’s degree in real estate, urban planning, construction management, public administration, business, finance, community development, or a related field is preferred. Relevant professional experience may be considered in place of a degree.

• One to three years of progressively responsible experience in real estate, construction, property management, project coordination, financial administration, nonprofit programs, legal administration, government, banking, brokerage, or a related field is preferred.
• Candidates with strong organizational, financial, analytical, technology, and communication skills who demonstrate the capacity to learn real estate development and receivership processes will also be considered.
• Experience with construction documentation, invoice processing, title or property research, municipal programs, court proceedings, or grant‑funded programs is helpful but not required.

• Valid Illinois driver’s license and ability to travel throughout Chicago are required.
• Illinois real estate leasing agent, broker, or managing broker license is preferred but not required.
• Construction, project‑management, property‑management, housing, or compliance certifications are helpfulbut not required.

• Strong project coordination, organization, prioritization, and follow‑through skills.
• Ability to manage multiple assignments, shifting priorities, and competing deadlines with limited day‑to‑day supervision.
• Ability to read, organize, and evaluate contracts, scopes of work, invoices, construction documents, inspection reports, property records, and compliance requirements.
• Working knowledge of budgets, costs, payment documentation, percentages, funding balances, and basic real estate financial concepts.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear reports, summaries, correspondence, meeting records, and tracking documents.
• Ability to conduct property and public‑record research and synthesize information from multiple sources.
• Ability to identify inconsistencies, risk, missing documentation, and unresolved issues; compare practical options; and recommend appropriate next steps.
• Ability to interact professionally with homeowners, residents, attorneys, contractors, consultants, government representatives, funders, and Finance personnel.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment within established policies and delegated authority and to seek management, financial, or legal guidance when appropriate.
• Technology:
  Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, ability to learn SharePoint,Salesforce, and other systems effectively for project controls, financial administration, analysis, reporting, and document management.

Performance will be evaluated based on the quality, timeliness, judgment, and reliability of the Associate’s work, including whether:

• Project milestones, court dates, inspections, payment deadlines, and reporting requirements are tracked accurately and completed on schedule.
• Risks, delays, budget concerns, documentation deficiencies, and vendor performance issues are identified early, analyzed appropriately, and escalated with recommended next steps.
• Vendor invoices and contractor payment requests are processed accurately, promptly, and with complete supporting documentation.
• Project budgets and commitments are current and reconciled with Finance at least monthly.
• Project, case, inspection, financial, legal‑support, and compliance files are complete, organized, current, and audit‑ready.
• Receivership intake, property research, and feasibility materials are accurate, thorough, and completed within established timelines.
• Contractors, consultants, and vendors receive clear assignments and requ